EN 50126, EN 50128, and EN 50129 (often called the “CENELEC Standards”) form the backbone of railway safety in Europe. Together, they define the RAMS (Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, and Safety) lifecycle for all railway signaling, control, and protection systems.
The “CENELEC Trio” Explained
These three standards work together to ensure that a railway system is safe from concept to decommissioning. They are mandatory for achieving interoperability across the European rail network.
1. The Process (RAMS)
EN 50126
“The Umbrella”
Defines the overall RAMS lifecycle for the entire system (Hardware + Software + Human). It establishes the “V-Model” process.
2. The Software
EN 50128
“The Code”
Focuses strictly on software for railway control and protection. It specifies techniques for coding, testing, and validation based on SIL.
3. The Hardware
EN 50129
“The Electronics”
Applies to safety-related electronic systems for signaling. It covers system architecture, hardware failures, and the Safety Case.
What is RAMS?
EN 50126 requires railway engineers to balance four competing factors:
- ✅ Reliability: The probability that a system performs its function without failure.
- ✅ Availability: The probability that the system is operational when needed.
- ✅ Maintainability: How quickly the system can be restored after a failure.
- ✅ Safety: Freedom from unacceptable risk of harm.
Critical Concept: Safety Integrity Levels (SIL)
The core output of these standards is the SIL assignment. The higher the risk of a failure (e.g., train collision), the higher the SIL required for the system preventing it.
| SIL Level | Risk Reduction Required | Typical Application |
|---|---|---|
| SIL 4 | Highest (Catastrophic) | Signaling, Interlocking, Emergency Brakes. |
| SIL 3 | High | Speed Supervision, Door Control. |
| SIL 2 | Medium | Traffic Management, Information Displays. |
| SIL 1 | Low | Non-critical monitoring functions. |
Who Must Comply?
These standards are mandatory for:
🚄 Infrastructure Managers: Managing track-side signaling.
🛠️ System Integrators: Building interlocking or ATP systems.
💻 Software Developers: Coding safety-critical algorithms.
🛑 Certification Bodies: Independent Safety Assessors (ISAs).
📥 Access Official Railway Standards
Ensure your Safety Case meets EU Agency for Railways (ERA) requirements. Download the official EN 50126, 50128, and 50129 documents.
⚠️ Official PDF Standards starting from €185.00
Available in PDF and Hardcopy formats.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these standards mandatory in the EU?
Yes. They are the reference standards for the Interoperability Directive. To place a subsystem into service in the European Union, you must demonstrate compliance with EN 50126/128/129 to an Independent Safety Assessor (ISA).
What is the “Safety Case” in EN 50129?
The Safety Case is a structured document required by EN 50129. It acts as the final evidence that the system is safe for public use. It gathers all proof from the design, testing, and validation phases.
How does EN 50128 differ from ISO 9001?
ISO 9001 is a general quality standard. EN 50128 is strictly for software safety. It requires specific techniques (like static analysis, boundary value analysis, and strict version control) that are not present in ISO 9001.
Do I need to buy the official standards?
Yes. For any safety-critical railway project, you must hold the licensed versions of these standards to perform the Hazard Log analysis and create the Safety Case legitimately.